Our thumper kitty is a Hemingway. She has 6 toes on each paw, it looks like she has opposable thumbs on her front paws. I worry about her plans for world domination with those thumbs.

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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "WOW!! What a ride!"

Our thumper kitty is a Hemingway. She has 6 toes on each paw, it looks like she has opposable thumbs on her front paws. I worry about her plans for world domination with those thumbs.

We had a foster kitty who was a Hemingway, and she would get your attention by wrapping a paw around your finger using her "thumbs". It was a bit gross at first, and then just fascinating, and then just normal

* Right up front, Chester does not like loud noise, dogs, or children.* He weighs 21.5 pounds and has had front paws de-clawed.* He is an indoor cat only, with only occasional few minutes to baskin the sun.* WE really want him to have a wonderful home.* WE love him, but we are moving to a place that does not allow pets.* This is breaking out hearts, but I know someone out there will lovehim.* Chester is a Hemingway, and has 6 front paws.

* Right up front, Chester does not like loud noise, dogs, or children.* He weighs 21.5 pounds and has had front paws de-clawed.* He is an indoor cat only, with only occasional few minutes to baskin the sun.* WE really want him to have a wonderful home.* WE love him, but we are moving to a place that does not allow pets.* This is breaking out hearts, but I know someone out there will lovehim.* Chester is a Hemingway, and has 6 front paws.

If I had an 8-legged cat, I would have named him Sleipnir, not Chester

* Right up front, Chester does not like loud noise, dogs, or children.* He weighs 21.5 pounds and has had front paws de-clawed.* He is an indoor cat only, with only occasional few minutes to baskin the sun.* WE really want him to have a wonderful home.* WE love him, but we are moving to a place that does not allow pets.* This is breaking out hearts, but I know someone out there will lovehim.* Chester is a Hemingway, and has 6 front paws.

If I had an 8-legged cat, I would have named him Sleipnir, not Chester

The ones that irritate me are the ones asking for pet supplies. Not just an unusual item (say, an Elizabethan collar for an injured pet) but all the basics: collar, leash, bed, bowls, coats, cages for rabbits/hamsters, etc. If you don't have/can't get these items, you have no business acquiring a pet. Collars and leashes can be gotten pretty cheaply; I've picked up several at the dollar store. The same with bowls. Beds are as easy as an old blanket or towel.

But again, Freecycle is really about recycling, not being a charity. I know I would prefer to get used pet items if I could to avoid buying new ones just avoid the waste.

Exactly! Would you think less of someone who bought them used? Who said, "I'm going to get a dog, so I'll ask the dog owners I know if they have an extra leash"? That's all this is.

And people who have those items would be happy to hand them off to someone else.

The ones that irritate me are the ones asking for pet supplies. Not just an unusual item (say, an Elizabethan collar for an injured pet) but all the basics: collar, leash, bed, bowls, coats, cages for rabbits/hamsters, etc. If you don't have/can't get these items, you have no business acquiring a pet. Collars and leashes can be gotten pretty cheaply; I've picked up several at the dollar store. The same with bowls. Beds are as easy as an old blanket or towel.

But again, Freecycle is really about recycling, not being a charity. I know I would prefer to get used pet items if I could to avoid buying new ones just avoid the waste.

Exactly! Would you think less of someone who bought them used? Who said, "I'm going to get a dog, so I'll ask the dog owners I know if they have an extra leash"? That's all this is.

And people who have those items would be happy to hand them off to someone else.

I agree. I don't see anything wrong with asking for pet supplies. Why buy if someone might have them lying around, going to waste? Doesn't mean they aren't going to look after their pets properly.

Once saw someone wanting to get rid of cereal from the 90's. Apparently, she had bought it during one of the Olympic games, thinking that the celebrity boxes would be worth something someday. They weren't. About every other line in the ad was a disclaimer saying DO NOT eat the cereal, but she thought someone who liked those athletes might like to have the boxes. I thought, why not just throw them out. You've already told people they're worthless as collectibles and the cereal is probably toxic waste at this point. I know some people don't like to waste things, but at some point most everything needs to be trashed.

Well, as one mod I knew said, 'Sometimes one man's trash is another man's trash as well.'

I have a truly horrifying story. One lady on one of my lists...after she finally figured out how to post properly and was taken off moderation, she posted a WANTED for 'pumpkin seeds(for the garden)'. She was asking for a friend, who had been a great help to her. She wanted us to mail all different kinds of pumpkin seeds to her friend, at THIS address, and since he was going on vacation, let's see how many different kinds of seeds could we have waiting for him when he got back.

Basically, she posted a man's name, full address, and announced to the group that his house was going to be empty for a week!

For the first time in my life, I was so angry I saw red. I actually saw red! I couldn't write back to her for 2 days because I couldn't trust myself. In the meantime, I called the local police to ask them to watch his house, and emailed the guy to let him know what she had done (He called me a Freecycle Nazi and that's why he left the group). Then I blasted her, put her on moderation, and haven't heard a peep from her since. Heck, I still get angry about it when I think about her overwhelming stupidity.

I have a truly horrifying story. One lady on one of my lists...after she finally figured out how to post properly and was taken off moderation, she posted a WANTED for 'pumpkin seeds(for the garden)'. She was asking for a friend, who had been a great help to her. She wanted us to mail all different kinds of pumpkin seeds to her friend, at THIS address, and since he was going on vacation, let's see how many different kinds of seeds could we have waiting for him when he got back.

Basically, she posted a man's name, full address, and announced to the group that his house was going to be empty for a week!

For the first time in my life, I was so angry I saw red. I actually saw red! I couldn't write back to her for 2 days because I couldn't trust myself. In the meantime, I called the local police to ask them to watch his house, and emailed the guy to let him know what she had done (He called me a Freecycle Nazi and that's why he left the group). Then I blasted her, put her on moderation, and haven't heard a peep from her since. Heck, I still get angry about it when I think about her overwhelming stupidity.

After you let him know this woman put him in jeopardy, he called you names? He didn't express gratitude at all?

I have a truly horrifying story. One lady on one of my lists...after she finally figured out how to post properly and was taken off moderation, she posted a WANTED for 'pumpkin seeds(for the garden)'. She was asking for a friend, who had been a great help to her. She wanted us to mail all different kinds of pumpkin seeds to her friend, at THIS address, and since he was going on vacation, let's see how many different kinds of seeds could we have waiting for him when he got back.

Basically, she posted a man's name, full address, and announced to the group that his house was going to be empty for a week!

For the first time in my life, I was so angry I saw red. I actually saw red! I couldn't write back to her for 2 days because I couldn't trust myself. In the meantime, I called the local police to ask them to watch his house, and emailed the guy to let him know what she had done (He called me a Freecycle Nazi and that's why he left the group). Then I blasted her, put her on moderation, and haven't heard a peep from her since. Heck, I still get angry about it when I think about her overwhelming stupidity.

After you let him know this woman put him in jeopardy, he called you names? He didn't express gratitude at all?

We've done a couple cross country drives in the the last couple years. Since gas was very high, and still is bad, we like to peruse the rideshare board on craigslist and see if anything fits. We also enjoy the company.

My usual procedure is to email a couple of times, then, if the person seems normal, to talk with them on the phone. If we agree to a ride, we pick up and drop off in parking lots. No one comes to our home and we don't go to theirs.

I actually still correspond with one person who we gave a ride to. he works with glass and has given me some wonderful arty jewelry pieces!

I talked to one guy who was going to Louisville KY when my son was graduating Basic at Fort Knox. email exchanges and he seemed very normal. His purpose for a ride (one way) didn't raise any flags - he was bringing a car back and emptying a house of a deceased relative. We then talked on the phone - sounded very nice. We made tentative arrangements for timing. He was actually 1 hour south of us, so we were going to call when we got close, and he'd have someone drop him at a store at a freeway enterance. Note: we talked via cell phone and I don't block my cell number

Two days later, about a week before the trip, he emailed me EARLY in the morning. "My sister (this man was 50ish), needs to know your home address and home telephone number". I sleep LATE on weekends and didn't see the email until about 11 when he sent a second email, even more demanding and insistent on my HOME number and HOME address. I was flabberghasted and ignored it, waiting until I spoke to DH to evaluate what to do. Then, in the early afternoon, less than 10 hours after first email, he sends a "since you are being so secretive, I'm getting very worried about this and it won't work out". email